Help stop a monkey-breeding lab in Florida

You may have heard about the plight of macaques raised for lab research on the island of Mauritius. These monkeys are caged, tormented and abused.

Animal Defenders International (ADI) found out about plans by American company Prelabs (under the pseudonym Primera) to create a similar breeding farm in Florida. The Dodo reported the findings recently.

The farm is meant to hold more than 3,000 macaques, who will be kept in confined cages and forced to breed continuously so they can be shipped around the world for scientific research.

Besides being extremely cruel to the primates, this plan is a risk to public health and compromises an ecosystem that already has problems with non-indigenous wildlife. ADI previously stated:

“Primera has not addressed the question of potential interaction between the different primate species or the potential for cross-species spread of disease. Florida has previously allowed, and documented regret regarding, the introduction of two different species of monkeys into the wild.”

The University of Washington Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new animal lab that will allow the university to greatly increase the number of primates and smaller animals that it subjects to cruel experiments and neglectful care. However, in addition to imprisoning and torturing nonhuman animals, the proposed lab location has been identified as having the “potential to have a significant adverse impact on the environment” and the public is invited to submit their comments to the UW’s Environmental/Land Use Compliant Officer prior to a decision about whether the lab construction will go forward.

Please take advantage of this significant opportunity to tell the UW to halt plans to construct a new animal research facility!

**All written comments must be received by May 14, 2014. Please keep all comments polite and focused on the adverse impact that the lab will have on the environment and the importance of the UW adopting advanced alternatives to using animals in labs and not building this facility.**

Points to address:

The detrimental impact on the environment of constructing a large underground facility.

The expense and harmful impact of building a facility that is only expected to accommodate the UW’s animal experimentation plans for the next 10 years.

The traffic increase in the area that the construction and operation of the lab will cause.

The potential harm to the environment of operating a facility that will produce hazardous waste, including chemicals as well as the bodies of dead animals.

Alternatives to building the new facility, including pursuing alternatives to animal experimentation, and the scientific and publicity benefits to the UW that would come from adopting alternatives to using animals in research.

The negative public view of the UW for building a new facility that harms the environment, facilitates the UW’s continued use of animals even after several citations by the USDA, and demonstrates a lack of commitment to exploring innovative non-animal research methods.

Thank you for caring about the animals and environment that would be harmed by the construction of this lab. Please write and encourage your friends and family to do so as well; and pass on this message to others via email and social media. The UW needs to know that this lab should not be built!

If you have any questions about writing or the approval process, contact Action for Animals at info@afa-online.org.

Sick puppies are imported into the USA almost every day from foreign puppy mills. Many come from countries with no laws protecting dogs. These puppies are sold in US pet stores and online–and many are diseased and dying.

In 2008, as part of the Farm Bill, The HSUS urged Congress to pass a law to protect puppies under six months of age from being imported into the US for resale. It’s been six years, and the USDA still has yet to enforce the law.

This week is Puppy Mill Action Week, and we need your help to protect dogs and puppies.

Go to this HSUS page and use the form to personalize and submit a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and urge him to finalize the Puppy Import Rule.

Calendar

January2019

NARN's board of directors meets monthly to discuss our campaigns and administrative issues. Guests are welcome to attend if we have enough time on our agenda.

If you wish to have an agenda item added to the NARN Board Meeting, please email info@narn.org at least a day in advance. You can also send us a message on Facebook anytime or even the day of the meeting and we'll get back to you. All NARN Board Meetings are held in Seattle.

Join local activists to help educate the public about the dangers of purchasing dogs from places like Puppyland. Puppyland is a new store in Puyallup that sells puppies from breeders.

The demo is until 3pm, but don't feel that you have to be there the entire time. Come for an hour or two to help hand out fliers or hold a sign.

This is a peaceful demonstration, inspired by our desire to speak out against the dangers of allowing businesses like Puppyland to exist in our communities. Join us in providing free, educational information to the public about the dangers of supporting backyard breeding practices and puppy mills, the importance of spaying and neutering pets, the time and money it takes to responsibly care for a living creature, and the positive effects of screening pet owners through application processes.

For updates see the Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2093159060741059/

Come join us for a delicious brunch at the fabulous Celest Cafe AND write some letters for animals.

NARN provides the stationery, pens, stamps, sample letters, and ideas for what to write -- just bring yourself. You can even bring your laptop if you'd prefer to type or email your letters!

Why letter writing? Letter writing is a simple way to make change for the animals! At our letter writing events, we write for many different reasons: opposition to the creation of new animal laboratories, support for sending animals to sanctuary, promotion of vegan events and issues through letters to the media, and raising the spirits of activists and comrades who have been jailed for their pro-animal and political actions!

Join local activists to help educate the public about the dangers of purchasing dogs from places like Puppyland. Puppyland is a new store in Puyallup that sells puppies from breeders.

The demo is until 6pm, but don't feel that you have to be there the entire time. Come for an hour or two to help hand out fliers or hold a sign.

This is a peaceful demonstration, inspired by their desire to speak out against the dangers of allowing businesses like Puppyland to exist in our communities. Join them in providing free, educational information to the public

For updates see the Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/512061562622307/

The University of Washington's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) will be meeting to discuss various research protocols (study designs). This is your chance to voice your opinion about the research on animals that goes on at the UW. Please come and speak for the animals!
The meetings are held at the South Campus Center; Room #342 (in between San Juan Road & Columbia Road); behind the Magnuson Health Sciences Center (1925 N.E. Pacific St) )
http://www.washington.edu/maps/

Unfortunately, they frequently re-schedule or cancel their meetings in an attempt to avoid the public, so please call the Public Affairs Office at 206-543-9180 to make sure the meeting is still happening at the given time.
You can also check out their calendar here (copy & paste link into your browser)
http://oaw.washington.edu/iacuc-meeting-schedule/

This month we will be checking out Travelers Thali House. They have tons of vegan options. See their menu here:
http://www.travelersthalihouse.com/Menu102014.html
The Social Discussion Group is a casual event. Drinkers and non-drinkers are welcome, and you don't have to be vegetarian to participate. We hope you'll join us! Questions? Contact rachel[at]narn[dot]org

Join local activists to help educate the public about the dangers of purchasing dogs from places like Puppyland. Puppyland is a new store in Puyallup that sells puppies from breeders.

The demo is until 3pm, but don't feel that you have to be there the entire time. Come for an hour or two to help hand out fliers or hold a sign.

This is a peaceful demonstration, inspired by their desire to speak out against the dangers of allowing businesses like Puppyland to exist in our communities. Join them in providing free, educational information to the public

For updates see the Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/406570843449273/

La Cocina School at El Centro de la Raza will be offering a tasty Vegan Tamales Cooking Class in partnership with the Food Empowerment Project! Now is your chance to learn how to make vegan tamales from a master tamalera! The tamales are prepared in the handmade and traditional fashion using cultural ingredients. Sweet sangrias, beer and wine will also be served and is included in the ticket price.

Class will begin promptly at 10:00 AM in the kitchen at El Centro de la Raza. Classes typically take 2.5 to 3 hours long. All cooking supplies and ingredients will be provided, but please bring your own apron.

The money for the La Cocina School at El Centro de la Raza Latin Cooking Classes go to fund El Centro de la Raza's Senior programs.

For updates on this event see
https://www.facebook.com/events/2404477662895760/